Glissmeyer Tries To Keep Eyes On Game

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — The greatest challenge Thomas Glissmeyer faces preparing for the U.S. Open this week isn't the narrowest fairways, thickest rough or slickest greens he has ever seen.

It's trying not to gawk like a golf groupie when the game's stars walk by.

"It's kind of hard when you see Tiger Woods and Ernie Els walking down the other fairway," said Glissmeyer, a junior at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. "The natural tendency is to stop and watch them."

Glissmeyer showed he's not easily rattled or discouraged when he qualified at the sectional at Columbine Country Club outside Denver. He made it despite a triple bogey on the first hole. He righted himself to shoot 72 over the first 18 holes and 69 over the final 18.

Hale Irwin, 58, the oldest player in the field, won two of his first three U.S. Opens before Glissmeyer was born. Last year, Derek Tolan, another 16-year-old, advanced through the Denver area sectional to the U.S. Open and missed the cut. Tolan said he didn't care much for school but loved golf. Glissmeyer said he hasn't had anything but straight As through high school and carries a 4.3 grade point average.

The youngest player to compete in a U.S. Open was Tyrell Garth, who was 14 when he played in 1941.

Michael Campbell of New Zealand played a practice round with Glissmeyer on Tuesday.

"I think the most important thing he told me was to just go out and care but don't care," Glissmeyer said. "And you've just got to hit the ball and hit it hard. That's the best advice I've gotten."

Solace on course

Davis Love III says he welcomes the U.S. Open as an escape while he deals with the aftermath of a family tragedy.

Last month, Love discovered his brother-in-law, Jeffrey Knight, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot would at a family cabin in Georgia. Knight, who managed Love's business, was under investigation by the FBI, which suspected he was stealing funds from Love's accounts.

"Off the golf course is not as easy as on the golf course," Love said. "This is a welcome challenge for me to get out and play a golf tournament that keeps me distracted for a while. If the U.S. Open doesn't get you concentrating, nothing is going to."

Love has already won twice this year and leads the PGA Tour in money winnings with $3,927,962. He tied for seventh in last week's FBR Capital Open.

Blowin' in the wind

Winds were ripping hard over Olympia Fields during Tuesday's practice rounds, which also saw some light showers.

Tiger Woods, seeking to become the first player to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles since Curtis Strange in 1988-89, said the winds are the X-factor that could spoil low-score projections.

"If the wind blows, over par can easily win this tournament," Woods said.

Olympia Fields is a twisting track with doglegs that will force players like Woods to hit fewer drivers.

"It's different," Woods said. "This is not as easy as people might think. When you get a lot of wind through here and these trees, it starts swirling. Some of the holes may be short, but they've got fairways that are 18-20 yards wide. That's pretty tough to drive the ball into."